Frozen Kahlua Cappuccino With Espresso Brittle
"Get the scoop on this delicious ice cream dessert - It's ridiculously easy to make and even easier to enjoy!"
- Ready In:
- 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 9
- Serves:
-
2
ingredients
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup sugar
- 1⁄4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons espresso beans, crushed with a rolling pin to medium-fine crumbs
- 1 pint coffee ice cream, slightly softened
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 1⁄2 tablespoons Kahlua
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- sweetened whipping cream
directions
- For a fun way to decorate your sundae glasses: Melt the chocolate chips; scrape the melted chocolate into a ziptop bag. Snip off the corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate onto the inside of the two 10-ounce flared glasses. (Martini glasses make a beautiful presentation for this frozen teat. ) To set the chocolate, put the glasses into the freezer for two to three minutes.
- To make the espresso brittle: Line a cookie sheet with kitchen parchment paper and lightly spray with a nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the sugar and the water. Heat the mixture over a high flame; swirling the pot occasionally until it turns a light amber color (similar to caramel) -- DO NOT STIR.
- Add the crushed espresso beans, swirl them around in the sugar mixture; continue to cook until it turns brown. Remove the pot from the heat. Whisk in the butter and salt, gently. Quickly pour the candy mixture (brittle) onto the prepared cookie sheet; tilt the sheet to get the brittle to flow into a thin, even layer (CAREFUL - IT'S HOT!).
- As the brittle cools a-bit, use a metal spatula to spread it into a thinner layer. Let it continue to cool down and harden. Break the brittle into bite-sized shards.
- To prepare your frozen cappuccinos: Scoop ice cream into a blender; add heavy cream, Kahlua and cinnamon. Blend until smooth.
- Divide the ice cream mixture in half and pour into the prepared glasses.
- Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and shards of the espresso brittle. (Save any leftover espresso brittle in an airtight container for up to 1 week; enjoy with other frozen dessert treats.).
- CHEF'S TIP: Kid-Friendly Version - Omit the Kahlua, increase the milk to a 1/4 cup, add a 1/4 cup malted milk powder.
- CHEF'S TIP: To soften ice cream, place container in the refrigerator for 30 minutes OR until very easy to scoop.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
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It was at my Italian grandmother's apron strings, in the "Patterson, New Jersey region" of Italy, that I learned the secrets of creating real home style Italian dishes, and where my passion for food and my culture were nurtured.
Always kept neat as a pin, grandma's kitchen was the centerpiece of our social settings and the focal point of our lives together as a family. Yes, it was the heart of her home. There, friends and family exchanged news, grandchildren stood on stools over the counter and grated chunks of Romano and Parmesan cheese to be served with dinner, and under the watchful eye of grandma the women (young and old) planned and prepared mouthwatering menus that reflected the marvelous flavors and textures of Italian cooking.
On any given day tantalizing aromas would build and escape through her kitchen window, dance about the balcony and drift down onto the street; where men chatting on the corner of Putnum Street would stop in their tracks to inhale the mouth-watering fragrance. So many sumptuous meals were prepared in that modest, yet functional, kitchen.
If I close my eyes and think of Grandma's cooking, I can vividly recall some of those fragrant food memories: tomato sauce with meatballs and sausages simmering on the stove top; onions, peppers and garlic roasting in a fragrant pool of olive oil, Neapolitan pizza with vine-ripened tomatoes (from grandpa's garden), fresh garlic, basil, Parmesan and anchovies bubbling in the oven; Italian bread smothered with creamy butter, minced garlic, and fresh parsley toasting under the broiler ... "Yummmmm - Heaven in your mouth!"
Among the many recipes that I've collected over the years, are those that I hold especially near and dear. They are tattered, faded pieces of paper that provide a glimpse into my past -- Family recipes passed down from mother to daughter, granddaughter to great-granddaughter. Generations of my family's heritage are captured in grandma's recipes for flavorful soups (Minestrone, Pea, Ruccola); hearty meat, poultry and fish dishes (braciole, pot roast, chicken casseroles, seafood stews); fresh vegetable entrees and salads, and those baked goodies that bring a happy ending to every meal (Ricotta pies, Struffoli, Cenci, Pine Nut cookies). Whenever I am 'hungry' for "the good old days" or I want to soothe my soul after a tiring day, these are the comfort-recipes to which I turn.
I once heard it said: "What distinguishes great cooks from good cooks is that great cooks love to cook. Every meal is an opportunity to express that love." A credo that I am certain grandma lived by -- I believe that she prepared her meals to fill her family and friends with love. I am proud of grandma's spirit of "abbondanza" (an abundant table). Indeed, no one ever left grandma's table hungry.
I'd like to share with you some of the foods from my beloved grandmother's kitchen. Enjoy and make these Italian classic favorites in your own family's kitchen.
Buon appetito!
